English Explanatory Dictionary

oligarch

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A member of an oligarchy; someone who is part of a small group that runs a country.
  2. A very wealthy business owner who wields political power.
  3. A protoplanet formed during oligarchic accretion.

Pronunciation

/ˈɒlɪˌɡɑːk/ /ˈɑləɡɑɹk/ /ˈoʊləɡɑɹk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-oligarch.wav

Word forms

oligarch oligarchs

Etymology

From French oligarque, olygarche, from Late Latin oligarcha, from Ancient Greek ὀλιγάρχης (oligárkhēs). By surface analysis, olig- (“few”) + -arch (“ruler, leader”).

Synonyms

plutocrat tycoonocrat

Related words

oligarchal oligarchic oligarchical oligarchy

Derived words

boligarch Bollygarch broligarch controligarch Dutertegarch minigarch oiligarch oligarchism oligarchize petrogarch silovarch
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